Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Gloria's pink china

With thanks to Martha's Vintage Attic.
There is tranquility to pink, a specific shade like the lining of a shell.  Gloria's table, set with blossom-sprigged china touched with gold was that color, as though something brighter had slipped in with the fog and grown silent.  Inside the teacups the pattern was softened further against a near-white background, cautioning, it seemed, that only hushed tones would be tolerated.  Then Mr. Apotienne laughed when he saw starfish-shaped scones dotted with golden raisins.  Pink china as a red herring.  There would be noisy and extravagant silliness at this breakfast.

17 comments:

Melissa Green said...

Oh, my, my, my! xo

susan t. landry said...

"...as though something brighter had slipped in with the fog and grown silent."

has anyone ever in the history of the world used these words in this order to convey this image?

you are a wonder.

Marylinn Kelly said...

Melissa - My thought exactly. xo

Marylinn Kelly said...

Susan - Thank you. I may be blushing, I know I am pleased and appreciative. I will keep your compliment in my virtual pocket today to pull out and reread. xo

Erin in Morro Bay said...

What place place to serve red herrings than a tea shop by sea?
Erin

Marylinn Kelly said...

Erin - And herring always makes me think of the song about Mr. Snow from CAROUSEL - "he comes home every night in his round-bottom boat with a net full of herring from the sea." Not sure about the eating - I am not much of a fan, but still. xo

Erin in Morro Bay said...

I don't like to eat them either, but they certainly give a wonderful flavour to a good mystery.
Erin

Marylinn Kelly said...

Erin - They do, indeed. As long as the author's use is not too liberal. I like surprises while still being able to keep up, or close to it. xo

beth coyote said...

O pink china. There is a melancholy of hand painted china in a world of take out and food eaten on the run.

Lisa H said...

Now all I can think about are star-shaped scones......

Lisa H said...

wait. star-FISH shaped scones. Even BETTER!

Marylinn Kelly said...

Beth - It is melancholy, the connection to our own pasts and times before. Something, too, about the pink - I come upon photos that are clearly part of Gloria's story, always know them for how they touch my heart, a noisy and sometimes painful twanging. It seems natural to long for loveliness, even a moment now and then, to remind ourselves it exists and we are not separate from it. xo

Marylinn Kelly said...

Lisa - On our local news this morning they showed marine biologists trying to rid part of our coast of purple anemone ruining the kelp beds where the fish used to live. In one of the underwater shots, a perfect blue starfish, long leggies. Gloria's were more the color of baked bread. Enjoyed, of course, a leg at a time. They should not be hard to make...xo

Lisa H said...

not hard to make: UNLESS YOU LIVE A MILE HIGH. In Colorado that is. Not the other kind.

Marylinn Kelly said...

Lisa - Silly me. I meant to say, "not hard to make at sea level." xo

Erin in Morro Bay said...

Lisa -but then, so many things are easier at sea level - LIKE BREATHING! You need to move out soon! And I know Marylinn agrees with me.
Erin

Marylinn Kelly said...

Erin - Oh, yes. We conspire to lure you here, with pastry, with fog, with oxygen. There is always room at the table with the best natural light. Bring your sketchbook. xo